Select Local Merchants

The staffers at Hands on Pottery Studio appreciate that many artists need an inspirational push—especially in the face of more than 150 paintable objects. That's why they've installed a design center, where guests can peruse books, trace stencils, or print patterns from a computer to inform their opus ideas. They allow painters unlimited access to their wall of paints, and mosaic-makers can pick through a trove of marbles, glass, and tile fragments. Constantly striving to nurture creativity, they stroll past tables of guests at work and remain attentive to questions or requests. They don't believe in obstructing the process by charging by the hour or the final number of paint splatters on the guests' clothing. Instead, they encompass all equipment and studio time within a single price for paint-your-own appointments, freeing artists to craft elaborate home-decor pieces or personalized gifts fit for weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries.
Their vision of communal artistry stretches beyond these sessions, however. They host mobile and onsite parties, workshops, and summer camps, which teach children to exceed the output of every great film director by crafting five projects in five days. With a retail stock of customizable gifts, they also display their own painting prowess to commemorate cherished events.

The staff at New Balance isn't concerned with simply selling shoes—their mission is to pair customers with the footwear that will carry them comfortably through life’s arduous steps. Understanding that an ill-fitting pair of athletic shoes can cause pain to joints and potentially damage knees, hips, and the back, associates measure the length and width of each client's foot and conduct a gait analysis to chart the trajectory of their stride when walking normally or running through ball pits. The data are collected to help the staff match clients with their ideal shoe, keeping them running longer and looking good while doing so.

GNC's opulent aisles display a wide variety of vitamin and mineral and herbal supplements, as well as sports nutrition, diet, energy, bodycare, and other health products. The Mega Men Sport multivitamin ($19.99 for 90 caplets) supports muscle recovery and energy levels and aids speedy male metabolisms without dangling steaks in front of their treadmills. Fuel feats of female strength with the Women's Ultra Mega Active multivitamin ($19.99 for 90 caplets). Two pounds of Pro Performance 100% whey protein ($34.99) distract taste buds with the flavor of chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry and smuggle 20 grams of high-quality protein into the body in each scoop. Promote healthy bones with a calcium supplement, such as coral calcium ($22.99 for 180 capsules) sustainably harvested from the Okinawa sea to provide a healthy two-to-one ratio of calcium and magnesium.

When The Black Orchid Accessories & More owner Corinne Dodero travels to New York or Vegas, it's not to see a Broadway show or to party—it's to handpick the artisan creations and sought-after apparel that fill her Woodmere store. Many of her jewelry finds and sought-after brands rarely make their way to smaller Midwest markets, and almost never appear on the shelves of department stores or mall boutiques. Alongside sparkling pendants and earrings, a collection of handbags and trendy apparel stands out amid the store's soft-pink-and-yellow walls, Victorian-inspired chandeliers, and jars brimming with candy. Shoppers looking for a piece that no one else has can grab hard-to-find items that are then painstakingly wrapped in a box or a silk organza bag to give to bridesmaids or fashionable pet goldfish.

Rather than smoke, the electronic cigarettes at 21 Century Smoking release puffs of water vapor, delivering nicotine without the tar, ash, and known carcinogens that come from smoking cigarettes. And according to 21 Century Smoking, regular smokers can save substantial amounts of money by making the switch to their products. The devices are available in four designs and multiple colors, and the potency of each nicotine cartridge can be adjusted to individual preference. Choose from flavors such as tobacco, menthol, vanilla, blueberry, and coffee.

The personal trainers at AMP Fitness believe that all workouts should be catered to each individual guest based not on personal experience but on anatomy. With that philosophy in mind, they offer 30- or 60-minute completely customizable one-on-one sessions with guests according to their fitness goals. They also use MyZone, a heart rate and calorie-based monitoring system that utilizes cardiac telemetry combined with online accountability and feedback, to help clients track their progress.